The training grounds were roiling with the sound of snapping electricity tearing through the air and the echoes of rocks crumbling under immense pressure. At the center of this hurricane stood Vodo and Natsumi, face to face. An electric aura danced around Vodo's body like threads of blue lightning, while the earth beneath Natsumi's feet cracked violently, yielding to her brutal lithic power.
"There's no denying it... you've become incredibly strong, Vodo!" Natsumi said as she lunged toward him, her fist colliding with his aura in a direct clash that shook the very foundations of the area.
Vodo smiled, his voice rasping through the din of battle:
"You too, Natsumi... your tremors nearly shattered my lightning. You're every bit as powerful as I am!"
Natsumi retreated gracefully, lowering her arms which were still flickering with sparks. Catching her breath, she said:
"Enough... this level of energy depletion is plenty for today."
Vodo fell to his knees, gasping for air. Sweat poured from his dark brow, wetting the dust of the arena. He laughed softly:
"That was a pure fight... no armor, just us and the laws of nature. It's truly good to have someone like you here."
A sudden silence fell, broken only by the rustle of the wind. Vodo looked at the ground, his face flushing a deeper red than usual. He spoke in a hesitant voice:
"You know, Natsumi... I really like you. I mean, I'm truly attracted to you."
Natsumi raised an eyebrow in surprise, then a sly smile spread across her lips:
"I feel the same, Vodo... I've always been drawn to boys whose strength matches my own."
Vodo stammered, his cheeks burning hotter:
"Really?! I didn't expect... I... I actually love you."
Natsumi froze, her eyes widening with genuine shock this time:
"You love me?"
He turned his face away in sheer embarrassment and whispered:
"Yes."
She approached him with slow steps and sat before him on the dirt ground. Her tone turned serious:
"But... why me? I'm fair-skinned, and you are dark... wouldn't it be more logical to look for a girl who shares your features?"
Vodo looked into her eyes steadily, as if his love had granted his shyness a sudden burst of courage:
"No, Natsumi... I love you because you are you. Your inner beauty overflows with strength, and your outer self is captivating. Skin color is just a shell; I fell in love with the core."
Natsumi smiled and leaned in closer until their bodies nearly touched. She whispered with a hint of seduction:
"Then... I want to know the depth of this love, Vodo."
He grew flustered again, his voice trembling:
"It's vast... bigger than you can imagine."
She reached out her hand with a cryptic smile:
"Fine... then take my hand."
He hesitated for a second, then placed his shaking hand in hers. She pulled him up firmly. He asked nervously:
"Where are we going?"
With eyes gleaming mysteriously, she replied:
"Just follow me, and don't ask."
As they left the grounds, Bern stood in a dark corner, watching the scene with a wicked grin. She whispered to herself:
(Fascinating... let's see what depths of decadence this love will drop you into, Natsumi.) She followed them, her footsteps as silent as an invisible shadow.
Natsumi stopped in front of her room, opened the door, and they entered together. Before locking it, she turned to him and asked in a voice charged with mystery:
"You love me, and you would do anything for me... right?"
Vodo replied, trying to suppress his racing heartbeat:
"Yes... anything."
She whispered, moving into his personal space:
"Then... prove it to me now."
She closed her eyes, letting her body language do the talking. Vodo leaned in slowly, his hot breath fanning her face. He reached out his right hand, tracing his trembling fingers along her cheek. Natsumi felt a surge of warmth far exceeding the heat of her own sparks. Suddenly, his lips met hers in a hungry kiss, where all suppressed words melted away.
His other hand slid down her back, settling on her waist to pull her toward him firmly, as if fearing he might wake from a beautiful dream. The proximity grew until all distance vanished; he could hear his heart thumping against his chest like a relentless war drum.
Driven by a surge of physical strength, he lifted her by her thighs. She felt the pressure of his fingers—a mix of delicious pain and overwhelming ecstasy. When he laid her on the bed, his momentum was like an unstoppable gale. Her hair spilled across the pillow, and she looked at him with eyes full of defiance and desire.
Vodo stood over her, breathing audibly, his face flushed and sweating, but he didn't back down. He leaned in again to drown in a deeper, more forceful kiss, trying to convey all the longing he felt.
Natsumi smiled slyly, breathing hard under the weight of his closeness:
"It seems kissing me wasn't enough to put out your fire."
He answered while panting, his eyes locked on hers:
"No... it wasn't enough."
She said with an overwhelming feminine playfulness:
"Then... do whatever you want."
Meanwhile, the quiet hallways of the student dorms bore witness to Meow's heavy footsteps. She walked with thoughts tangled like spiderwebs; a vague anxiety gnawed at her, alongside a desperate wish to purge the world of the monsters' filth—even though her convictions had recently begun to waver. She was realizing that behind those fangs and claws, there might dwell souls that didn't deserve annihilation.
At the corner of the final corridor, Meow stopped abruptly. She saw a sight that raised her suspicions: Bern was pressed against one of the doors, her ear glued to it with suspicious focus. Her face was contorted in a strange ecstasy, and she looked as though she were listening to a forbidden melody.
Meow approached with cautious steps and whispered in disapproval:
"Bern? What are you doing here?"
Bern didn't turn around; she simply raised a finger to her lips, commanding absolute silence. Meow stepped closer, her curiosity dragging her toward the abyss, until she heard muffled sounds... whispers and heavy breathing coming from behind the door.
Meow's eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening. Confusion mixed with rage took hold of her. Driven by her rigid idealism, she lunged forward and pounded on the door with a force that shook the frame.
Bern jumped in fright and hid in a dark corner like a cat caught in the act, while Meow stood with angry dignity before the door. Inside, the sounds of scuffling and confusion erupted—the sound of something falling followed by panicked murmurs.
The door opened slowly, revealing Natsumi, her face flushed and distraught, wrapping a towel around a body slick with sweat and tension. Meow asked in a voice as sharp as a blade:
"How are you, Natsumi?... and what exactly is going on in here?"
Natsumi stammered, trying to collect herself:
"I... I was just taking a shower. Is there something wrong that required such violent knocking?"
Meow replied with icy coldness:
"No... not at all. But, if it doesn't bother you, would you mind letting me in?"
Natsumi hesitated, her eyes darting around the room before she reluctantly stepped aside: "O-of course, come in." Meow entered with a fake air of poise and sat on the edge of the bed, while Natsumi stood there, a shy smile masking a hurricane of anxiety.
As for Vodo, he was currently a prisoner in the bathroom, trying to hold his breath to the point of suffocation. Suddenly, a small spider descended from the ceiling and landed right on the tip of his nose! Vodo shuddered in terror and made a muffled sound, trying to choke it back with his hands, but Meow's sensitive ears caught the vibration.
Meow rose with lightning speed and threw open the bathroom door... only to be stunned by the sight of Vodo before her, completely stripped! Meow let out a scream that shook the room and slammed the door shut violently, turning to Natsumi with eyes sparking with fury:
"How dare you do this?! Do you not realize the magnitude of this sin? If Headmistress Dalia knew of this transgression, the consequences for both your futures would be dire!"
Natsumi bowed her head in shame, regret clouding her features:
"I'm truly sorry, Meow... it wasn't intended to be this way."
Meow exploded in rage:
"All of this and you 'didn't intend' it?! Do you think I'm a child who would believe such nonsense?!"
Natsumi was speechless, and a heavy silence dominated the room. Meow headed for the door and yanked it open, causing Bern to fall flat on her face into the room—she had returned to eavesdropping the moment Meow had stepped away from the door. Meow looked at her with pure disdain:
"Can you not restrain your perversion for once? This behavior is disgusting."
Bern replied with a face overflowing with a sick happiness:
"On the contrary... this scene is the most beautiful thing I've seen all day!"
Meow put her hand to her forehead in despair:
"My God... what is this madness surrounding me?!" She then stormed out of the room, her rapid footsteps striking the floor.
Bern closed the door with a lingering, eerie quiet, whispering happily:
"Continue... don't let that fool ruin your fun."
Vodo emerged from his hiding spot, carrying the weight of guilt:
"I'm sorry, Natsumi... it seems I've landed you in a major mess."
Natsumi smiled faintly, stepping closer to wipe away his worry:
"Don't worry about it... Meow won't say a word; she just loves her ideals. As for Bern... everyone knows she's a deviant who enjoys this atmosphere, so there's no fear from her."
Vodo sighed in relief, as Natsumi's gaze began to shift back into that alluring, feminine look that stripped him of his will:
"So... do you want a second round to make up for that annoying interruption?"
Vodo's eyes ignited with renewed desire, and he swallowed hard before answering:
"Yes... with everything I've got."
At the Market
The sun of Kenimar wove its threads over the debris, a scene combining the cruelty of destruction with the will to survive. Rion walked through the alleys, watching in solemn silence as small hands cleared the rubble and faces began to reclaim their features after the night of terror. Amidst this quiet bustle, his eyes caught a tall, strong figure; it was Mai, standing by a merchant in an outfit as firm as her personality.
She turned toward him, the daylight reflecting in her red eyes:
"Rion! What brings the 'Mysterious Boy' to the noise of the market today?"
Rion replied with his usual calm:
"I just wanted to see the city breathing again... to make sure the wounds are starting to heal."
Mai laughed with a sudden burst of mirth:
"Then you're completely free, which means fate has led you to me to be my right hand."
Rion raised an eyebrow warily:
"I'm afraid to ask—in what exactly?"
"Don't ask... just follow me!"
She led him with confident steps toward a changing room designated for workers. Suddenly, she turned to him and said quite simply:
"Take off your clothes."
Rion froze in his tracks, his eyes widening in shock:
"What?! Mai, have you lost your mind or are you joking?"
"No time for nonsense, work is waiting and walls won't build themselves with words... hurry up!"
Without further preamble, Mai began to strip down until she was in her underwear, revealing an athletic physique sculpted by grueling training. Rion stood stunned, trying desperately to look at anything else, stammering:
"Am I invisible to you? Or have you forgotten I'm here?"
She completely ignored his comment as she pulled on heavy work clothes, then tossed a similar set to him:
"Change your clothes; we have a long day of sweat and dust ahead of us."
They spent the daylight hours battling stone and debris; moving weights, cleaning corners, and rebuilding fallen walls. The sun was leaning toward sunset when Rion sat on the ground, sweat dripping from his forehead and dust covering his palms.
He sighed with an exhaustion tinged with satisfaction:
"Finally... the noise has settled."
Mai sat beside him, a cryptic smile shimmering in her eyes:
"You did well... how about I reward you by washing away this fatigue?"
She led him to the hot springs in the heart of the town. Rion stood at the entrance hesitantly:
"A hot spring? I've never tried this kind of relaxation before."
"You'll love it... the town gave us this privilege in appreciation of your hard work."
Rion entered the changing room, and when he went to enter the bath, he found Mai had beaten him to it. She had entered the water completely naked without a shred of hesitation. Rion panicked and shouted instinctively:
"What are you doing?! Get out or I'm leaving!"
She laughed softly as she submerged herself:
"Don't you know this place is mixed? Stop acting like a child and relax."
Rion entered the water, trying to maintain maximum composure despite his face being bright red. Mai exhaled in comfort:
"What a feeling... I didn't know you were this physically strong; we finished three days' work in a single afternoon."
"I'm glad I was useful," he answered, keeping his gaze fixed on the rising steam.
A tender silence fell before Mai opened the cabinet of her memories:
"You know... when I first came to the Academy, I saw Yuya as the pinnacle of perfection. But he lived in a tower of arrogance, unable to stand anyone coming near his throne."
"Is this a good time to open the books of the past?" Rion asked, surprised.
"Perhaps... but talking to you breaks down the barriers. I feel like you have a strange ability to listen without passing judgment."
"Honestly, I don't know how to respond to that while in this embarrassing situation!"
Mai laughed, then leaned her head back and closed her eyes:
"When I was little, I had no name and no shelter. I ate from the trash in narrow alleys and bathed in the polluted river. People called me the foulest names because I didn't know the 'rules' of their high society."
Rion lowered his gaze sympathetically:
"Mai..."
She continued:
"When the war broke out, power exploded in my body like a hurricane. I fled to the port, and there I found Amani and Alex... they are the ones who turned me from a mere 'homeless girl' into a girl who knows her worth."
Rion was silent for a moment, then said kindly:
"I understand your pain... but do you think this is the right place for such sad memories?"
She smiled as she opened her eyes:
"Maybe... but I'm no longer ashamed of my past. Still, there's something I want to tell you... I feel safe with you, Rion. Your presence isn't a threat like the others, and this shyness of yours tells me that... perhaps I might be beautiful in someone's eyes."
Rion stopped moving, then said with quiet sincerity:
"Mai... the strength you possess never steals away your femininity. On the contrary, your strength and your resolve are what give you a true beauty that others don't have."
Her eyes widened in wonder, and she lightly touched her cheeks as she thought:
(Beautiful?... Did he really say it?). Rion rose from the water with a faint smile: "I'm going now... see you later, Mai."
Mai came out a while later to find him waiting for her outside. She asked lightly:
"How about we eat together?"
He replied apologetically:
"Sorry, Mai, I have a prior engagement with Kairen to visit her mother."
"Oh... that's fine, see you later." She waved to him, a sad smile flickering in her eyes, while he returned the wave before departing.
In the middle of town, he found Kairen waiting for him, hands on her hips with boredom:
"Finally! I thought you'd decided to live in the market, slowpoke!"
Rion laughed:
"I was helping people clear the rubble... nothing more."
"Fine... I'm telling my mother you're the reason we're late anyway!"
They walked together, light laughter filling the air as the sky of Kenimar turned purple and gold, announcing a new dawn for a city that refused to be broken.